Srinagar, Oct 27 (KNS): With the Darbar Move approaching and thousands of vehicles expected to add to Jammu's traffic burden during the winter months, the Traffic Police have identified several congestion hotspots across the city and vulnerable stretches of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, directing officers to put special arrangements in place to prevent gridlocks and ensure uninterrupted movement.
The anticipated seasonal migration from Kashmir Valley, Doda and Kishtwar is expected to increase pressure on Jammu's roads from November until the end of February, particularly around major intersections, residential areas and transport hubs.
Among the locations identified as potential congestion points are Sidhra, Bathindi, Green Belt Park, Jammu Railway Station, Railway Chowk, Narwal, Qasim Nagar, Canal Road, Bagh-e-Bahu, Satwari and Janipur.
The traffic authorities have been asked to draw up a comprehensive management plan for these areas, where the additional winter movement could pose challenges for daily commuters.
The preparations were reviewed on Tuesday at a meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police Traffic J&K, M. Suleman Choudhary, who directed officers to anticipate traffic pressure rather than respond only after congestion develops.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has also emerged as a major focus of the preparations, with authorities identifying the single-lane Nachlana-Hingni stretch and the Dewal and Mom Passi stretches as areas requiring particular attention during the movement of the Darbar Move convoy.
SSP Traffic National Highway Ramban K. M. Priyanka has been directed to coordinate with traffic authorities in Kashmir and Jammu to ensure the convoy passes safely without disruption.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The instructions come amid concerns over maintaining smooth traffic movement on the highway, which serves as the principal road connection between Kashmir and Jammu and carries passenger vehicles, goods transport and official traffic.
Besides the Darbar Move, road safety emerged as another major concern during the review, with the Traffic Police deciding to intensify enforcement against dangerous driving practices.
Special drives have been ordered against stunt biking, underage driving, overloading, rash driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Officers have been instructed to initiate strict legal action against violators as part of efforts to reduce road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting also reviewed existing traffic arrangements, accident-prone locations and enforcement measures in different traffic jurisdictions.
Senior officers, including DIGP Traffic Range Jammu Haseeb-Ur-Rehman, SSP Traffic Rural Kashmir Liaqat Ali and SSP Traffic City Srinagar Bisma Qazi, attended the meeting, while traffic officers from Jammu and Ramban participated virtually.
With the winter movement approaching, the effectiveness of the proposed arrangements will depend on how traffic authorities manage congestion at identified hotspots while keeping the National Highway accessible to regular commuters and official convoys.
The coming weeks will test whether advance planning and stricter enforcement can prevent the seasonal traffic bottlenecks that authorities are now preparing to address. (KNS)